Subscribe: by Email | in Reader

Tommy -- Rudyard Kipling

       
(Poem #43) Tommy
I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
    O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
    But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
    The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
    O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
    For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
    But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
    The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
    O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
    Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
    But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
    The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
    O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
    While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
    But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
    There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
    O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
    For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
    But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
    An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
    An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!
-- Rudyard Kipling
It's hard to apply superlatives to Kipling's poems. 'Tommy' is one of my
favourites, true, but that is a much-diluted honour. It's also one of his
best-known works, but again, that's saying little - the sheer volume and
diversity of his poetry has made many of them famous in many different
genres. Certainly no canonical list of war poems would be complete without
this minor masterpiece, expressing with a startling accuracy the plight of
the soldier. It is unsurprising that Kipling's reputation, great as it was,
was outstripped by his popularity - he was that wonderfully contradictory
being, the common man's Nobel laureate.

Note, once again, the wonderful interplay of form and content, as the rough
dialect of the 'common' man blends with the pulse-steady metre of the
soldier, and the way in which the natural rhythms of speech have been
captured without ever straining the scansion.

Background:

'Tommy' was Tommy Atkins, the generic term for a British soldier.

   Thomas Atkins (also Thomas): a familiar name for the typical
   private soldier in the British Army; arising out of the casual use of
   this name in the specimen forms given in the official regulations from
   1815 onward: see quots.

   In some of the specimen forms other names are used; but `Thomas
   Atkins' being that used in all the forms for privates in the Cavalry
   or Infantry, is by far the most frequent, and thus became the most
   familiar. Now more popularly Tommy Atkins or Tommy.

   * 1815 (Aug. 31) War Office, Collection of Orders, Regulations, etc.
     75 (Form of a Soldier's Book in the Cavalry when filled up).
     Description, Service, &c. of Thomas Atkins, Private, No. 6 Troop,
     6th Regt. of Dragoons. Where Born... Parish of Odiham, Hants...
     Bounty, L6. Received, Thomas Atkins, his x mark;

          -- OED

The 'Widow' in the last verse referred to Queen Victoria.

Criticism:

  Rudyard Kipling was, in his grand style, the bard of British Imperialism,
  and in his dialect poems, the voice of the common soldier. Anyone
  interested in the military history of the period owes it to himself to
  become at least passingly familiar with Kipling's soldierly verse.

  Kipling is often ignored today, because his exultation in the supposed
  moral and cultural superiority of European (and specifically British)
  civilization makes liberal-minded twentieth-century readers wince. But the
  human virtues that Kipling is most concerned with - courage, duty, honor,
  decency, commitment and grit - he is quick to recognize in men and women
  from all classes and races. That he shared and promoted the near-universal
  prejudices of the pre-Twentieth Century worldview should not diminish our
  appreciation of his artistic achievements.

  Aside from the normal problems to be expected of reading century-old
  poetry, reading Kipling introduces a few extra difficulties; born and
  reared in India, he liberally seasons his verse with Asian and African
  words, and his soldier poems are written in the lower-class dialect of the
  archetypical British enlisted man, dropping final "g"s and any "h"s which
  are normally

        -- David Helber, <http://zeitcom.com/majgen/09kipling.html>

And finally, Kipling's self-appointed role as the spokesman of the common
soldier is best summed up in his own words: following is the dedication from
his Barrack Room Ballads.

  Dedication

     To T. A.

       I have made for you a song,
       And it may be right or wrong,
   But only you can tell me if it's true;
       I have tried for to explain
       Both your pleasure and your pain,
   And, Thomas, here's my best respects to you!

       O there'll surely come a day
       When they'll give you all your pay,
   And treat you as a Christian ought to do;
       So, until that day comes round,
       Heaven keep you safe and sound,
   And, Thomas, here's my best respects to you!

              -- R. K.

m.

236 comments: ( or Leave a comment )

«Oldest   ‹Older   201 – 236 of 236   Newer›   Newest»

Rifex Tracking said...

Jika Anda membutuhkan Jasa Ledeng Surabaya harusnya dipastikan bahwa anda juga membutuhkan Jasa Bor Sumur Surabaya karena setiap rumah maupun gedung bertingkat akan bertemu denganTukang Ledeng Surabaya yang dapat diandalkan pada tahapan Tukang Bor Sumur Surabaya terpercaya

Unknown said...

It is additionally a really sensible post that I actually enjoyed reading. it's not every day that I actually have the chance to examine one thing like this.Laboratory Vertical autoclave
automatic vertical autoclave suppliers

Unknown said...


Thanks , I Have Recently Been Searching For Info About This Topic For Ages And Yours Is The Best I've Discovered Till Now. But, What About The Conclusion? Are You Sure About The Source?
Agen Bola Online
Agen Judi Bola
Agen Betting
Betting Online
Agen betting Terpercaya
Agen Judi online
Agen Bola Terperyca
Agen Judi Online
Bola Online

blogger said...

paling jitu Prediksi Skor pada situs Berita Bola yang menyediakan TV Online dan halaman Livescore Terbaru

BANGKIT

Admin Panduan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.

belajar komputer said...

panduan komputer laptop I have read the article you wrote and I think it's very good article for use as a reference. Many things can be learned from this article is especially a problem xxx. Every time we find something new, so we must continue to strive to increase our insight and knowledge. facebook panduan komputer laptop google panduan komputer laptop twitter panduan komputer laptop

flower pedia said...

ok thank you... visit my site...!!!!!

Unknown said...

article très utile à tous.
http://www.indoblazer.com

Berita Bola Terupdate said...

Kumpulan Berita Bola Dan Prediksi Bola terupdate setiap hari nya hanya ada di www.DuniaBola99.com

Unknown said...

I want to learn from the way your article is made and it is very interesting to be followed by a meaningful article.
togel online

admin said...

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=822003799664186904&postID=2082572113939027045&page=4&token=1536384113291

Dompetpoker.org is a card game that shares betting rules and is usually (but not always) in hand ranking. The Poker Online game is different in terms of how cards are shared. In the most modern Poker Games, the first round of betting starts with several forms. Type of card arrangement in Online Poker.

poker online

admin said...

Choosing an online casino agent is essential if people want to work on online gambling. http://www.dompetcasino.net/ to make the play scene should really be done so that the smoothness in playing gambling can be enjoyed gambling agency sites online casino agency page can also be done with a system of observing recommendations and recommendations from more experienced players.
judi online

admin said...

https://www.ideaswatch.com/startup-idea/mobile-game-based-on-logical-abilities

Dompetpoker.org is a card game that shares betting rules and is usually (but not always) in hand ranking. The Poker Online game is different in terms of how cards are shared. In the most modern Poker Games, the first round of betting starts with several forms. Type of card arrangement in Online Poker.

poker online

Choosing an online casino agent is essential if people want to work on online gambling. http://www.dompetcasino.net/ to make the play scene should really be done so that the smoothness in playing gambling can be enjoyed gambling agency sites online casino agency page can also be done with a system of observing recommendations and recommendations from more experienced players.
judi online

Ariffirmansah said...

thank you for the info and very interesting experience ,please visit here ska 86

aa fubo said...

Thank you for the info

Monica Patricia said...

Situs Penyedia Layanan Sepak Bola Terbaik Sbobet Dan Bonus Member Baru Yang Besar, Agen Sepak Bola Sbobet Maxbet Yang Memberikan Pelayanan 24 Jam Nonstop, Bandar Judi Sepak Bola Sbobet Yang Di Dukung Oleh Bank Dengan Pelayanan CS Yang Ramah dan 24 Jam Nonstop, Penyedia Jasa Pembuatan ID Sbobet Judi Sepak Bola Yang Terkenal Dan Memiliki Grafis YangBagus, dan Kemudahan Dalam Bermain Dan Keamanan Saat Bertransaksi

Agen Sepak Bola Online

bonus besar Sepak Bola

Bandar judi Sepak Bola

Agen Sbobet Judi Bola

Judi Sepak Bola Terbaik

Agen Judi Online

Bandar judi ikan

Agen sabung ayam

judi sabung ayam

cetak online said...

I like to read poetry in my spare time. pretty eliminate momentary boredom

cetak buku said...

I think this blog is very valuable because a lot of very useful information. Thanks

cacpvtltd said...

Thanks for this blog. It really provides awesome information to all readers. keep it up and keep posting these types of blogs on digital marketing services, it's really helpful.
fixed asset management companies

Unknown said...

Nice Blog. Thanks for sharing information. Call Girls Connaught Place

BuuBuu said...

Join di Agogo888 buat kalian yang mau dapet banyak kejutan menarik dari agogo888 Games Slot Online Terlengkap http://216.83.47.176/

BuuBuu said...

Join di Agogo888 buat kalian yang mau dapet banyak kejutan menarik dari agogo888 Games Slot Online Terlengkap http://216.83.47.176/

Agogoqiu said...


situs resmi BandarQ hanya di SimbaQQ

William Jack said...

Well-written information. Very impressive and to the point
Have a look at my new blog
HD Video Converter Factory Pro 2023

«Oldest ‹Older   201 – 236 of 236   Newer› Newest»

Post a Comment